Elizabeth Murdoch hosts Barack Obama fundraiser

A fund raising event at the London home of Rupert Murdoch’s daughter has
raised $400,000 for Barack Obama’s campaign to be President.

By Andrew Porter Political Editor

10:52AM BST 14 May 2008

The donation is thought to be the largest the campaign has received from one event outside London.

The Democrat front runner was so pleased with the amount raised he phoned Elizabeth Murdoch that night and congratulated those who had attended and lent their support.

Those attending were asked to pay £1,160 each to Senator Obama’s fund. Only those holding American passports are allowed to contribute directly to campaigns.

Although Gwyneth Paltrow, the Oscar-winning actress, was invited she did not attend. David Schwimmer, who played Ross in the American series Friends, was photographed arriving at the event which took place on 28 April.

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A source revealed that the final amount raised was $400,000. That is thought to be the largest amount raised in one event outside America.

In a PR coup Mr Obama telephoned Miss Murdoch’s Notting Hill house at the end of the event and thanked the guests for their backing.

Miss Murdoch’s decision to host the event at the home she shares with her husband and PR man Matthew Freud will lead to suggestions that the Murdoch empire is keen to swing behind the Obama campaign.

Mr Obama’s campaign initially suffered from less financial support than his Democratic Party challenger Hillary Clinton.

However, as the momentum swung behind Mr Obama the money has flowed – although he is quick to point out that his money comes from a lot more donors who give smaller amounts, often through the internet.

Last year it was thought Rupert Murdoch was more in the Hillary Clinton camp when it came to the Democrat race. He organised a fundraiser for her, but his New York Post newspaper has become a critic of the former First Lady.

Miss Murdoch runs her own television production company Shine.

On the invite “flyer” guests were told there would be 20 “event hosts”. They included Kay Saatchi, the ex-wife of Charles Saatchi, Joanna Shields, the president of Bebo, the social networking site, and David Blood, who runs an investment fund with Al Gore.

The New York Times said last month that the London event could offer “possible clues to Hillary Clinton’s Murdoch status.”

Mr Murdoch has been a steadfast supporter of George W Bush’s presidency and in foreign policy terms is far more in tune with the thinking of John McCain, the Republican candidate, than Mr Obama’s.

Mr Freud, speaking before the event, tried to play down the wider significance of the event.

He said: “I don’t think you can interpret the event as anything other than she is enthusiastic about Obama’s campaign.”